What causes neck pain? 26 possible conditions

See a list of possible causes in order from the most common to the least.

This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.

Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders are a group of diseases in which not enough blood is supplied to the back of the brain. Symptoms depend on the cause, but may include vision and sleep problems, dizziness, and more.

The narrow space between your collarbone and first rib contains blood vessels, nerves, and muscles that extend from the back to the arms. Pressure on these blood vessels and nerves may result in pain in your shoulders.

Thyroiditis refers to an inflamed thyroid. Your thyroid is a gland in the front of your neck that controls your metabolism by releasing a variety of hormones. Most types of thyroiditis do not cause pain in the thyroi...

An abscess of the brain is usually the result of a bacterial or fungal infection. The infection will cause your brain to swell from the collection of pus and dead cells that form, causing severe symptoms.

Healthline’s mission is to make the people of the world healthier through the power of information. We do this by creating quality health information that is authoritative, approachable, and actionable.

Join more than 30 million monthly visitors like you and let Healthline be your guide to better health.